The George Read II House & Gardens, a National Historic Landmark, has long served as a destination for history, culture, and community. Land Collective was engaged by the Delaware Historical Society to re-envision the Read House landscape for the next generation. This process is rooted in the past while being oriented around a wider community of the present. The approach to revivifying the grounds included a series of community engagement meetings and a planning study designed to engage with the multi-layered history of the Read House & Gardens site, foster ecological resilience, promote accessibility, create and nurture lasting community relationships, and build a landscape that could be effectively maintained over time.
The plan created space for reflection, healing, and joy, welcoming all to contribute to this richly historic landscape that extends from the Delaware River to the New Castle Green. Each of the garden spaces is informed by these localized histories and imbued with a distinct character ranging from formal parterre, to meandering picturesque walks, to productive landscape, and beyond.
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